Bearing joint



April' 12, 1932. A. FLUMERFELT BEARING JOINT Filed Apri 26, 1930 Patented ',Apr. 12, 1932 uNlrEn: srs..N PAr-ENfr orrlcr;

WILLIAM A. FLUMiinerisrxr,l or COLUMBUS, oHIo, lnssrenon: To THE comm/reus,l 'AUTO BEARING JOINT Application )filed April 2.6, 1930. SerialNo. 447,4i83. f

c This invention relates to bearingsparticularly of the ball and lsocket type.

The main objects of Athis invention are to i provide an improved 'construction of bear- 9 ing which is adjustable to compensate for tion is shown in the accompanyingdrawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a front axle and steering assembly for a motor vehicle showing the use of my improved invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

F ig. Y3 is a sectional view taken on thev line 3-'3 of Fig. 2 lookingv in the direction indicated by the arrows.l

F ig.'y 4L is a view in` perspective showing the vformation of aball 'socket member formed by rolling up a straight piece of stock material, the straight piece of stock being shown in dotted outline. i 4 1 Fig; 5 is a view in perspective showingthe `formation of a curved wedge by rollingl up a straight piece of wedge-shaped stock'material, such straightpiece being shown in'V dotted outline. f

`- Heretofore, ball and socket 'joints have been made which' are adjustable to compensate for wear but such devices commonly` employa pair of interposed eccentrically curved 'wedge members, Vthe outsidesof which are straight inaxial direction and the' inner face of which has al ball seat formed-'therein Great difficulty has been experienced informing aball seat in a curvedwedge member With the. axis of the seat-'eccentric with respect to the outer surface `ofy the wedge. Af

coiningoperation is practically the only successful way in V.which such a member can be formed and even with the coining process it presents many diiflculties which increase the cost of the'product.

When such eccentric wedges are used on a ball and wear occurs therein these eccentric wedges, when adjusted vto anew position',

`will not be normally contacting on their original faces of the ball. Due to the wear which has occurred on the face of theball the eccentric wedges will then-make point contact onthe ball, and noty have a full face lit thereagainst.

Iny my improved constructiony the ball is' embraced by a pair of concentric socket members which may be 'easily shapedv from straight bar stock havinga concavey face and curved wedges are then provided fory embracing the socket members and fitting betweenthem and the surrounding Ahou-sing. Whenr adjustment occurs ydue to wear, the

- socket Vmembers move radially toward the center :of the ballymaintaining their tting contact with'the original faces `of the ball and thus maintaining proper uniformv lit at all times. n j

- In the construction shown in the drawings, an outer casingy 6 having any annular recess 7 therein is provided with an inturned flange 8 at one end thereof and an interiorly thread-v ed shank 9 in whicha tie rod 10 or other meme y ber may be threaded as is customary insucli constructions.` The shank 9 isl preferably* split near itsouterend and provided withr acontracting clamp 1l for retaining the vtie rod in adjusted position therein. f

An inner member in the form ofa ball 12 is eccentrically positioned within the annular recess 7 and a. shank 13 integrally -formedfon e i the ball 12 kextends through the opening pro.- vided by the inturned angeS. y

A pairof substantially*semi-circular socket members 14 and 15 snugly-embrace the ball 12 and are normally in spaced relation to each other as shown at 16 in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. The inner faces of the socket members 14 and 15 are formed onthe same radius as the` outer surface of the ball 12 so as to snugly and uniformly fit therearound.

The outer surfaces of the socket members 14 and 15 are circumferentially curved concentrically with respect to the center of the ball 12 and are straight in an axial direction so as to present a cylindrical form'.

A pair of wedge members 17 and 18 are interposed between the outer sides of the socket members kand the walls of the annular recess 7. The wedge members 17 and 18 are assembled in opposed relation as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and are so proportioned that their thin ends 19 and 20, respectively, are in substantial spaced relationship so that they may be moved .circumferentially relative to each other for vadjusting the socket members 14 and 15 radially toward the ball 12 to compensate for wear.

The wedge members 17 and 18 are of substantially greater axial length than the socket members 14 and 15 so that when assembled in the annular recess within the housing in abutting relationship against the inturned ange 8, kan annular space 21 will be provided below the ball 12 and socket members 14 and 15.

The wedge member 18 and outer housing 6 are provided with registering apertures 22 through which projects the radially extending out-turned end 23 of a spring 24 for anchoring the wedge to the housingr G. The spring 24 isjcomposed of substantially one turn of round spring wire and is housed within the space 21 as shown mostl clearly in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. The opposite end of the spring 24 is also turned outwardly in a radially extending direction and projects into an a erture 25 provided in the wedge member 1 for engaging the wedge and causing it to rotate circumferentially toward the anchored wedge7 member 18.

i A relatively shallow inverted cup-shaped plate 2.6 is provided in the end of the annular recess 7 opposite to the flange 8, for closing the recess and holding the part-s therein in assembled relationship in addition to the end 23 of the spring 24 which anchors the wedge 1.18 tothe housing 6.

The socket members are preferably formed from stra-ight pieces of rolled bar stock 27 each of whichhas a longitudinally extending concave face 28. These pieces may be sheared off from lengths of rolled stock. The straight pieces are then rolled up as shown by the arrows iny Fig. 4 of the drawing, thus'forming a socket member 29A which has ay substantially sphericalf face 30 therein. By subjecting the rolled up piece tothe action of a forming die, the face 30 is trued sov as to have the exact curvatureof theball against which it is to be assembled.v V

In the formation: of the wedge member sectionsV 31 are cut from a length of rolled bar stock which is wedge-shape in cross-section. These pieces 31 are then rolled up as shown by the arrows in Fig. 5, to form a curved wedge 32 which has an inner face 33 eccentrically disposed with respect to its outer face. These wedges may be formed by a i f single operation and do not require any additional truing up. y

In the operation of this improved ball and socket 'j oint the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 2and 3 with the wedge member 18 `anchored to the housing by the protruding end 23 of the spring 24. The resilient yielding action of the spring 24 tends to constantly urge the wedge 17 circumferentially around the annular recess7 toward the wedge 18 thus tightening the socket members 14 and 15 around the ball 12, their movement toward the ball being in a substantially radial direction. Sufficient clearance is allowed as shown at 16 to provide. for a lon period of use before the adjacent ends o? the socket members .come in contact with eachother and thereby prevent further tightening around the ball.

By reason of the socket members moving radially toward the ball 12 rather than rotating circumferentially thereabout, the contactin g surfe-ccs ofthe socket members alwa s engage the original contacting faces of t e ball and do not change position thereon, thus insuring a good fit at all times even after a long period ot' 'wear and adjustment has ela sed.

lhe area of contact of the socket members is substantially 360 ou the face ofy the ball and by reason of this large area of contact the amount of wear between the ball and socketpmembers is very materially reduced over all existing automatically adjusting constructions now in use.

`Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that. numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departim1r from the spirit of this invention as deinedby the following claims.

I claim:

1. Ina bearing, an outer housing having an annular recess therein, an inner member eccentrically positioned within said recess, a pair of wedge members interposed between said inner member and said housing in opposed relationship, a spring having one end anchoring one of said wedge members to said housingand the other end thereof engaging the other of said Wedge members for tightening it around said inner member.

' 2. In a; bearing, an outer housing', an inner` member, a pair of spaced bearing bushings surrounding saidrinner member, a pair ot wedge members interposed between said bushings'and said housing in opposed relationship, mea-ns for anchoring one of said wedge. members to said. housing and means for moving the other of said wedge members for tightening ksaid bushings around said inner member. n

3. In a bearing, an outer housing, an inner member, a pair of spaced bearing bushings surrounding said inner member, a pair of wedge members interposed between said bushings and said housing in opposed relationship, means for anchoring one of said wedge members to said housing, and automatic means formoving the other of said wedge members for tightening said bushings around said inner member.

4. In a bearing, an outer housing, an inner member, a Vpair of spaced bearing `bushings surroundingsaid inner member, a pair-oit Wedge members `interposed between 'said bushings and saidhousing in opposed relationship, a spring having one end anchoring one of said wedge membersto said housing and the other end thereof engaging the other of said Wedge members for tightening said bushings around said innermember.

5. A ball and socket joint comprising an outer housing having an annular recess therein, an inturned flange at one end of said recess, a ball member positioned within said recess, a shank on said ball member extending through the opening formed by said iange, a pair of concentric socket members embracing said ball member, said socket members being normally in spaced relation to each other, a pair of eccentric Wedge members interposed between the inner walls of said Irecess and outer sides of said socket members for moving said socket members 'radially toward said ball member, means for anchoring one of said Wedge members :and means for actuating the other of said wedge members.

6. A ball and socket joint ycomprisingan outer housing having an annular recess therein, an inturned iiange at one end of said recess, a ball member positioned Within'said recess, a shank on said ball member extending through the opening formed by said flange, a pair of concentric socket members embracing said ball member, said socket members being normallyin spaced relation to each other, a pair of eccentric wedge members interposed between the inner Walls of said recess andthe outer sides of said socket members for moving said socket members radially toward said ball member, a spring yhaving kone endv anchoring one of said Wedge members to said housing yand the-other end thereof engaging the other of said wedgemembers for tighten-Y ing said bushings around said ball member.

7 A'ball 'and socket joint comprising an outer housing having an annular recess therein, an inturned flange at one end of said recess, a ball member ,positioned within said iecess, a shank on said ball member extending through the opening formed by said flange, a Vpair kof concentric socket membersA embracing said ball member, said socket mem.-

bers being normally in spaced relation to each.'

other, a pair of eccentric Wedge members interposed between the inner walls ofsaid recess and outer sides of said socket members for moving said socket members radially t0- ward said ball member, means for anchoring one of said Wedge members, andautomatic yielding means Vfor actuating the other of said wedge members 8. A ball and sockety joint comprising an outer housing `having an annular recess therein, an inturned iiange at one end of said recess, a ball member positioned within ysaid recess, a shank on said ball member extending through the opening formed bysaid flange, a pair of concentric socket members embracingsaid ball member, said socket members being normally in spacedrelation to each other, a pair of eccentric wedge members in terposed between the inner walls Vof said recess and outer sides of said socket members t'or moving said socket members radially toward said ball member, said wedge members being of greater axial length than said socket members so as to provide an annular space be- Y low said ball and socket members, one of said wedge members and said housing having registering apertures therein, and a spring housed in said annular space, one end of said spring extending through said apertures to. anchor said apertured wedge to said housing, and the other end ot said spring engaging the other of said wedges for moving it circumferentially around said housing to tighten said socket members around said ball member.

WILLIAM A. FLUMERFEL'I. 

